Monday, February 25, 2013

Labour's Game of Thrones is far more bloody and bitter with 50% more incest.

Wow. Well that reshuffle wasn't what I was expecting. I had expected Shearer to have reached out to the Cunliffe camp in the reshuffle to create some unity and halt the online hemorrhaging in the blogosphere, but the exact opposite has happened.

It's not so much a reshuffle as a regurgitation.

I think there had been some good will for reaching across to the left of the Party up until the Shearer leadership vote that had as many as 11 abstentions.

Those who were thought to have abstained have been punished and my understanding is that Charles Chauvel's sudden decision to leave for the UN had as much to do with the current situation as it did the desire to go onto bigger and better things.

Lianne Dalziel has been punished and one has to wonder if Labour actually care about Christchurch any longer. Lianne has been a tireless voice for the community in Christchurch who don't have the wealth to lift themselves above the earthquake. Her demotion is a slap in her face and theirs.

It's good that Phil Twyford has housing, Kris Faafoi picks up corrections and David clark gets some respect, but that's about it. I'm terrified of what Trevor will be able to get up to with so much time on his hands and Chris Hipkins, after his appalling defamation of Cunliffe shouldn't be rewarded. It will be telling to see if a complaint through the LEC process bites him in the arse.

Interesting that Annette won't be stepping down for the Wellington Mayoralty because the people lining up for that electorate she was expected to vacate won't be pleased. I actually have a very large soft spot for Annette, but her promotion shows the lack of replacement talent Labour now have.

As for Shane Jones. If the full array of allegations against him ever get heard by Whaleoil, it will be a feeding frenzy that never ends. Expect Whaleoil to blog it 2 weeks out from the election.

The reshuffle is a wasted opportunity and is set up to punish those the leadership think abstained against Shearer.

7 Comments:

I agree with you on Dalziel - Christchurch will continue to be a big issue and she has a good rep in Chch. I'm pleased for Phil Twyford, hard working and great MP. King will do well in health as she has proven in the past. So who is the deadwood - Goff?Cunliffe sitting on the back bench is a real loss #getoveritShearerSuze

What nonsense. Hipkins has done a good job in Education and needs to be rewarded for that. I for one, would like to see Cunliffe in the shadow Cabinet, so was slightly disappointed, but at least he has some portfolios. I'd put money on it that he will be in the Cabinet in a future Government. Also you talk about "removing dead wood", yet Shearer is not dead wood by any means. A bit more positivity would be good, and I will be disappointed if the DailyBlog goes on like The Standard.

One last note - the drops in the Greens Party Vote in recent polls are relatively speaking much greater than Labour. Not Shearer's fault by any means.

I recently attended our local Labour Branch meeting, I left the meeting feeling empty and disillusioned. I get the feeling that this is a party that is in real trouble, which is disappointing from the point of view that New Zealand has turned into a very unfair, class based society...this has all happened since the 1980's, so it could be turned around if Labour had the appetite to turn it around. But clearly they dont. Goff, King Mallard, (Cullen is in there somewhere I suspect) are continuing to control the party down this uninspiring dead shit path which may give the left 1 weak term in government, but that will be it.I cant believe any competent person would endorse Shearer as a Leader capable of converting New Zealand into becoming a more fair and egalitarian country. If Labour dont win in 2014 then there should be some serious blood on the floor, there needs to be a real clean out. Something in me says that in the long term, this may be the better path.

Just some thoughts and musings: WHY did you expect Shearer to reach out to Cunliffe?. I'd hoped, but realistically I knew it wasn't going to come to pass. and... secondly - I too have a 'soft-spot' for the matron.Unfortunately we're in the 21st Century, and whilst experience and above average intelligence is a good reason to appoint, the sense of entitlement and the propensity to 'rescue' the political waifs that display bitchiness and outright hostility to others within the party is a very good reason to give Annette a fucking good shake-up. Hopefully, at her time in life - it's not too late to learn (as people constantly tell me at my time in life).The best thing she could do as matron, would be to take a Hipkins aside and give him a clip around the ear - if she's genuinely concerned for Labour ("going forward")

@ Arthur Monteah-Carr . I agree and frankly I'm fabulous so my opinion should matter . @ Louisoutlook . Clearly , thinking is not the hobby for you . Stick to stamps darling . ( I just realized the pun . ) Shearer is the damp bus ticket other damp bus tickets avoid due to him being just too damp . Secret agendas do that to bus tickets . Lianne Dalziel is a good person . That's why she had to go down . That's why Cunliffe is fighting for his life . ' Shady Shearer and Jonky-stien seen together on Hawaiian beach ' . A rat by any other name would stink as much . As such .